This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Trucks such as pickups having an open top cargo box can be a quite popular type of vehicle because the cargo box enables objects of various sizes to be placed therein and transported. Tonneau cover systems can be used to cover the top of cargo box in a closed or extended configuration to protect the contents against dirt, debris, and other environmental contaminants, and to improve the aesthetic quality thereof.
In some cases, the tonneau covers can be formed of a plurality of rectangular elements in the form of slats that are hingedly coupled together so they can be rolled-up into a tubular compact, storage, open or retracted storage configuration at the front of the cargo box to allow access to the cargo box. In some cases, the tonneau covers can be formed of a plurality of rectangular elements in the form of sections that are hingedly coupled together so they can be folded-up into a stacked compact, storage, open or retracted storage configuration at the front of the cargo box.
Although a forward rectangular element or header and a rear rectangular element or header are typically coupled to the sides of the cargo box in the closed or extended configuration, additional protection against unauthorized access could potentially be provided by latching or locking the sides of the rectangular elements between the forward and rear headers to the side rails. One potential solution could involve providing movable latching components on each of the plurality of rectangular elements that engage the side rail. Disadvantages of such a solution can include significant additional parts, that increase assembly and manufacturing costs, and added complexity in locking and unlocking such a large number of latches.
Another potential solution could involve providing a single long movable latching component on each side rail that rotates between a locked position in which the latching component engages the rectangular elements and an unlocked position in which the latching component is rotated away from the rectangular elements. Disadvantages of such a solution can include the lack of a positive stop along the longitudinal length of the latching component to resist upward movement of the tonneau cover.